LEHI, Utah, May 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has made a $3.2 million grant to the Civica Foundation to fund the Civica Rural Hospital Program, a new initiative to significantly expand access to essential generic medicines for rural and critical access hospitals across nine states.
Launching today, the Civica Rural Hospital Program is designed to ensure rural hospitals have reliable, affordable access to critical generic medications that are frequently impacted by national drug shortages. This pilot program will be available in Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
Rural hospitals face persistent challenges in sourcing generic drugs due to a fragile, concentrated supply chain for low-profit sterile injectables, often reliant on a single manufacturer. Rural facilities often have limited purchasing power, making them less prioritized by wholesalers during shortages compared to larger health systems.
The Civica Foundation is the fundraising arm of Civica, the nonprofit generic drug company created by hospitals to combat persistent shortage of essential generic medications. The Civica Foundation will implement this program in the nine states identified and use grant funds to cover per-bed membership fees for eligible rural and critical access hospitals, as defined by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, to enable hospitals to join Civica for no cost. For hospitals participating in the Civica Rural Hospital Program, Civica will waive annual purchase commitments, eliminating financial risk for hospitals while still providing protection against shortages of critical generic drugs. The Civica team will monitor results to track hospital participation, patient impact, and program outcomes.
"Drug shortages are hitting rural hospitals especially hard — straining limited staff, disrupting patient care, and driving up costs," said Todd Shellenberger, President of the Civica Foundation. "The support from Helmsley makes it possible for us to help rural and critical access hospitals join Civica with no membership cost, giving them reliable access to essential medicines and peace of mind knowing supply will be there when patients need it."
"We join the Civica Foundation in the mission to make sure every hospital has access to the medications they need," said Walter Panzirer, a Trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust. "We are committed to supporting the Civica Foundation in its work to level the playing field by creating a new model that makes it financially viable for rural, underserved hospitals to tap a more stable and less price-sensitive supply of generic drugs."
The collaboration is structured as a three-year pilot program and is expected to support approximately 225 rural hospitals, representing an estimated 6,750 hospital beds. The program prioritizes states with high concentrations of rural hospitals and limited current access to Civica medications.
"From the beginning, Civica was founded on the belief that access to essential medicines should not depend on where you live," said Dan Liljenquist, Chair, Civica Board of Directors and EVP and Chief Strategy Officer, Intermountain Health. "The Helmsley Charitable Trust's support will help extend that commitment to rural communities that often face the greatest challenges in affordability and supply. The organization's investment strengthens a model built to serve patients first and reinforces what's possible when mission-driven partners work together."
Helmsley has also supported the Civica Foundation's efforts to make insulin more affordable for Americans since 2022. As a result of partnerships like the one between Helmsley and the Civica Foundation, earlier this year Civica announced the availability of Civica insulin glargine, now available in prefilled pens at the lowest list price in the current long-acting insulin market.
Please note: Rural hospitals in Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming interested in joining this program should contact Michael Laffin at [email protected].
About the Civica Foundation
The Civica Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that fosters philanthropic support to manufacture and distribute affordable generic medications. Its mission is to ensure quality generic medications are available and affordable to everyone.
About Civica
Founded in 2018 by innovative healthcare leaders nationwide, Civica is a pharmaceutical nonprofit dedicated to ensuring the accessibility, affordability and quality of essential generic injectables and biosimilar insulins. With 60 members, including leading health systems, hospitals, and philanthropic organizations, Civica supplies more than 70 essential medicines to over 1,400 hospitals, supporting care for nearly 95 million patients. By committing to long-term contracts and targeting 6 months of safety stock, Civica helps stabilize the market and reduce the impact of shortages.
About The Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting exceptional efforts in the U.S. and around the world in health and select place-based initiatives. Since beginning active grant making in 2008, Helmsley has committed more than $4.5 billion for a wide range of charitable purposes. Helmsley's Rural Healthcare Program funds innovative projects that use information technologies to connect rural patients to emergency medical care, bring the latest medical therapies to patients in remote areas, and provide state-of-the-art training for rural hospitals and EMS personnel. To date, this program has awarded more than $900 million to organizations and initiatives in the states of Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and two U.S. Pacific territories. For more information, visit helmsleytrust.org.
SOURCE Civica Rx
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